Florida

Port Everglades Backs Out of Agreement With Cuban Government

A major Florida port has canceled plans to sign an agreement with Cuba, one day after Gov. Rick Scott threatened to cut off its state funding if it signed the pact.

Port Everglades issued a statement Thursday that the National Port Administration of Cuba says no agreement is currently needed. The Fort Lauderdale-area port and the Port of Palm Beach began meeting with Cuban officials Thursday.

The Republican governor was highly critical of former President Barack Obama for allowing some products produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs to be imported. The United States had imposed a trade embargo on the communist island for more than half a century.

The first shipments arrived Tuesday at Port Everglades: two containers of artisanal charcoal.

The port has similar agreements with five other ports around the world. Port Everglades could lose upwards of $94 million in state funding if it goes against the governor's wishes.

"What I focused on is the fact our ports, I disagree with them doing business with a ruthless dictator in Cuba," Gov. Scott said.

But that doesn't mean companies that operate at the port can't do business with Cuba. Some already are under executive orders signed by President Obama.

Jim Brickman of Crowley Maritime Corporation has been shipping goods to Cuba for 15 years, and just this week shipped the first legal cargo from Cuba.

He says agreement or not, Crowley Maritime will continue to do business with Cuba.

"If the federal government doesn't change anything as far as how we operate, we'll continue to work with the federal government of both countries, as long as they agree with what we're doing, we'll continue to do it," he said.

Still, the governor's announcement is viewed as a hurdle for other companies who were hoping Thursday's meeting would create opportunities for them in the island nation.

"The rain on this parade is pretty clear. We've had no success for 50 years in reaching out and making them a friendlier western country with us. So here's our chance and after 50 years it's time to try something new and different," said Larry DeRose, VP of Louis Berger, a global services company.

But some local leaders stand with the governor and want to see change on the island before allowing business through Florida's ports.

"We want to move past the last 50 years but we need to know the other side is going to move past it as well and that doesn't include just having money go to the government and allowing them to continue that behavior," Broward commissioner Chip LaMarca said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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